April 2, 2013
RUSTON - After traveling approximately 20,000 miles from coast to coast while playing 22 different opponents in 14 different states, the record-setting 2012-13 basketball season came to an end for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in a second round loss in the NIT.
The four-and-a-half month stretch of basketball concluded with a 27-7 overall record, the second most wins in the program's 84-year history, and a 16-2 mark in conference that earned the `Dogs their first ever WAC regular season championship.
Head coach Michael White and the Bulldogs proved to set many more feats and records during this historic run as well.
• Had an 18-game winning streak (Dec. 17-March 2) which set a new program record and was the second longest streak of the 2012-13 college basketball season in NCAA Division I.
• Finished the regular season with a 26-5 record (.839), tied for the sixth best win/loss percentage in the country.
• Had a perfect 14-0 record at home, tying for the most home victories ever in a single season (1952-53, 1984-85).
• Earned the program's first ever No. 1 seed in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.
• Won eight straight road games (Dec. 17-Feb. 16), a new program record.
• Ranked in the AP Top 25 poll at No. 25 for the first time in 28 years.
• Was 25-0 this season when leading with 5:00 left to play and 6-0 this season when the scoring margin was five points or less.
• Won versus Utah State in Logan, Utah for the first time ever (eight tries).
• A 70-point win over Central Baptist was the largest margin of victory for the Bulldogs ever in the Thomas Assembly Center.
• Earned a berth into the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) for the seventh time in school history and the first time since the 2005-06 season.
• Defeated a current ACC school (Florida State) for only the second time in program history. The other was versus Virginia Tech during the 1958-59 season.
• Had nine different players lead the team in scoring in at least one game this season.
• Kenyon McNeail tied the program record (Johnny Miller, 1997) for most made three-pointers in a game (nine) at UTSA and broke the program record for most three-pointers attempted (15).
• Kenneth Smith broke the sophomore record for most steals in a season (57).
• Kenneth Smith tied the program record for most steals in a single game (7) versus Southern Miss.
• Michale Kyser broke the sophomore record for most blocks in a season (92) and tied Willie Simmons (84-85) for the most ever in a single season.
• Raheem Appleby scored over 500 points this season (506). Needs only 48 more points to become the 35th Bulldog to be a member of the 1,000 points club.
• Raheem Appleby and Kenneth Smith were both selections to first team All-WAC.
• Kenneth Smith and Michale Kyser were both named to the WAC All-Defensive Team.
• Alex Hamilton was named to the WAC All-Newcomer Team.
• Michael White earned WAC Coach of the Year, USBWA District VII Coach of the Year and NABC District 6 Coach of the Year.
• Averaged 3,531 fans in the Thomas Assembly Center for the season, the largest yearly attendance since the 1989-90 season.
